Who's Watching You?

by Sharmon Coleman
I love the Christmas season! I love the sounds, scents and sights. And I LOVE Christmas music. Our home has the strict policy that no Christmas tunes can be played until after Thanksgiving, then we crank ‘em up. As a child, I loved songs like “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” and “Jingle Bells”. My parents loved the song, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” and used it to keep my behavior in line during these over sugared days. I was raised believing that Santa was . . .

Making a list,

And checking it twice,

Gonna find out who's naughty or nice.

Santa Claus is coming to town!

He sees you when you're sleeping,

He knows when you're awake.

He knows when you've been bad or good,

So be good for goodness sake!

In reality, there is One Who does see when I’m sleeping, when I’m awake, and when I’m naughty or nice but it’s not Santa! Proverbs 15:3 says, “The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.” However, God’s reasons for keeping watch extend beyond a simple list of who gets presents on Christmas morning. One of my favorite reasons is found in 2 Chronicles 16:9 which says, “The eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.” Let that truth sink in . . . God is constantly scanning the face of the earth to find anyone who is sold out to Him so He can strengthen us! Does anyone else have glory bumps right now?

During this busy Christmas season, might I encourage to daily take 5 minutes to sit in stillness, with your body, soul, mind and EYES focused on the ONE Who wants your entire heart? Five minutes a day is a wonderful focal point to direct the trajectory of each day. Just as a ballerina focuses on a fixed object as she twirls across a room to stay in a straight line, so we must fix our eyes on Jesus. I love the chorus of an old hymn that encourages us to:

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

Look full in His wonderful face

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace

Yes, Jesus is the Reason for the season, and just as His eyes roam the earth to support us, may we daily lift our eyes to Him, “the Author and Perfector of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). After all, there’s nothing like eyes meeting across a crowded room with the ultimate Prince Charming.